Bird Photo of the Week / Ukens fuglebilde - 29

This year there are some isolated 'pockets' with high abundance of voles in Northern Norway.

Preferring wet and damp habitats, the Tundra Vole / Fjellmarkmus (Microtus oeconomus) is a highly appreciated food item of various owls hunting in these habitats, and despite an overall low abundance of rodents this year, some birds feeding on voles have managed to raise chicks this summer.

Here is a very charming and fluffy 2-weeks old chick of a Long-Eared Owl / Hornugle (Asio otus) - well fed on a diet of tundra voles.